diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a55aff5..cc29e9d 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 	<groupId>net.preibisch</groupId>
 	<artifactId>BigStitcher</artifactId>
-	<version>1.2.16-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>1.3.0</version>
 
 	<name>Big Stitcher</name>
 	<description>Multiview stitching of large datasets.</description>
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 	<scm>
 		<connection>scm:git:https://github.com/PreibischLab/BigStitcher</connection>
 		<developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:PreibischLab/BigStitcher</developerConnection>
-		<tag>HEAD</tag>
+		<tag>BigStitcher-1.3.0</tag>
 		<url>https://github.com/PreibischLab/BigStitcher</url>
 	</scm>
 	<issueManagement>
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ad1d67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#release configuration
+#Wed Aug 28 16:57:59 CEST 2024
+scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
+project.scm.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher.url=https\://github.com/PreibischLab/BigStitcher
+exec.pomFileName=pom.xml
+pushChanges=false
+releaseStrategyId=default
+project.scm.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher.developerConnection=scm\:git\:git@github.com\:PreibischLab/BigStitcher
+project.rel.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher=1.3.0
+projectVersionPolicyConfig=<projectVersionPolicyConfig>${projectVersionPolicyConfig}</projectVersionPolicyConfig>\n
+scm.tag=BigStitcher-1.3.0
+remoteTagging=true
+exec.additionalArguments=-Dgpg.skip\=true 
+scm.branchCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}
+projectVersionPolicyId=default
+scm.url=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/PreibischLab/BigStitcher
+scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
+pinExternals=false
+preparationGoals=clean verify
+project.scm.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher.connection=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/PreibischLab/BigStitcher
+scm.releaseCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare release @{releaseLabel}
+exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
+exec.activateProfiles=deploy-to-scijava
+project.scm.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher.tag=HEAD
+project.dev.net.preibisch\:BigStitcher=1.3.1-SNAPSHOT
+scm.developmentCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare for next development iteration
+scm.rollbackCommitComment=@{prefix} rollback the release of @{releaseLabel}
+completedPhase=end-release